Thursday, 29 October 2015

Alternate Best Actor 1995: Results

10. Johan Widerberg in All Things Fair - Widerberg gives a fine performance that certainly realizes his character's personal journey even if it left me cold.

Best Scene: Watching the newsreel.

9. James Earl Jones in Cry, The Beloved Country - Jones gives an appropriate grace and certain emotional poignancy to his character.

Best Scene: Kumalo meets Jarvis.

8. Jonathan Pryce in Carrington - Although the film oddly keeps a distance from him Pryce gives a compelling realization of Lytton Strachey even in the film's somewhat narrow focus on him.

Best Scene: Carrington reveals her feelings to Strachey.

7. Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise -Hawke gives a very good performance that fits right into the wavelength of both the film's style as well as with his co-star's performance.

Best Scene: Celine and Jesse decide on what to do.

6. Kenneth Branagh in Othello - Branagh gives an intriguing depiction of Iago by presenting of a man of many masks that hide his evil intentions.

Best Scene: Iago reveals his true self.

5. Mel Gibson in Braveheart - Gibson gives a passionate and powerful portrayal that is fitting to the film's presentation of William Wallace as a romantic hero.

Best Scene: Killing the Sheriff.

4. Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys - Willis gives a captivating portrayal of a man on the constant brink of insanity, while being gripped by his time bending mission.

Best Scene: Cole attempts to explain himself.

3. Richard Harris in Cry, The Beloved Country - Harris gives a heartbreaking and convincing depiction of a man being changed for the better despite suffering a horrible tragedy.

Best Scene: Jarvis meets Kumalo.

2. Ian McKellen in Richard III - McKellen gives a brilliant Shakespearean performance as he finds new ground with the character by merely taking his villainy to almost an absurd extent.

Best Scene: Richard's final meeting with the Queen.

1. Morgan Freeman in Seven - Good Predictions Luke,Anonymous, Jackiboyz, and Michael McCarthy. I'll admit this is another year where I am torn by my top two as I really do love McKellen and Freeman's work equally. Freeman though also gives a great performance as he realizes the style of his character so well without falling into an obvious cliche, while realizing the pessimism of the man in such a compelling fashion by finding the humanity within the man that creates it.

Best Scene: The finale.

Overall Rank:

Morgan Freeman in Seven

Ian McKellen in Richard III

Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas

Richard Harris in Cry, The Beloved Country

Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects

Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys

Mel Gibson in Braveheart

Brad Pitt in Seven

Kenneth Branagh in Othello

Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise

Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking

Jonathan Pryce in Carrington

Liam Neeson in Rob Roy

James Early Jones in Cry, The Beloved Country

Tom Hanks in Apollo 13

John Travolta in Get Shorty

Laurence Fishburne in Othello

Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County

Joe Pesci in Casino

Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye

Bruce Willis in Die Hard With a Vengeance

Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress

Al Pacino in Heat

Samuel L. Jackson in Die Hard With a Vengeance

Robert Downey Jr. in Restoration

Michael Douglas in The American President

Gabriel Byrne in The Usual Suspects

Robert De Niro in Heat

Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide

Tom Hanks in Toy Story

Tim Allen in Toy Story

Johan Widerberg in All Things Fair

Robert De Niro in Casino

Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak

Chris Farley in Tommy Boy

Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus

Hugh Grant in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

Robert: He was very wooden. One of the worst castings Disney made, and they are usually excellent at casting voices. But To be fair, he is not the worst of the Disney Heroes. In fact... (Sudden ranking is sudden)

Louis:Suggestions:Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue DressAngus Macfadyen in BraveheartPatrick McGoohan in BraveheartAlan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility (I love this performance but fear it'll get a 3.5 or 4)

Another:Jimmy Smits in My Family (It seems a potentially interesting performance and I really like Smits and think he's quite underrated. But having not seen the film, it's hard to tell whether he's lead or supporting).

Also thoughts and ratings on:Liam Neeson in Rob RoyTom Hanks in Apollo 13Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison CountyJoe Pesci in CasinoBruce Willis in Die Hard With a VengeanceAl Pacino in HeatSamuel L. Jackson in Die Hard With a VengeanceRobert Downey Jr. in RestorationMichael Douglas in The American PresidentGabriel Byrne in The Usual SuspectsRobert De Niro in HeatDenzel Washington in Crimson TideTom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy StoryRobert De Niro in CasinoDustin Hoffman in OutbreakChris Farley in Tommy BoyRichard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's OpusHugh Grant in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill

1995 SupportingKevin Spacey in SevenGene Hackman in Get ShortyAngus MacFayden and Patrick McGoohan in BraveheartDon Cheadle in Devil in a Blue DressLouis: Who would be your cast and director for:Heat and Thelma and Louise (1920's version)Double Indemnity (1950's, 1960's and 1970's version)The Gunfighter (1990's version)

@Ruthie: I'm sorry, but I have to STRONGLY dissent on Menzel. She's in my Supporting Actress lineup that year for Frozen and I'm not even remotely ashamed to admit.

Also, Robbie Benson is for my money the best voice work we've had for a Disney protagonist. Ignoring the shock value that he was 70's/80's Zac Effron doing THAT voice, his work has subtle touches that tend to go unnoticed. If you listen closely, you can hear his voice become less and less gruff over the course of the movie.

Robert: She is my winner for Supporting Actress, to be completely honest. The Funny thing was that I used to love Menzel's singing voice in Frozen and merely tolerate Bell's. This has reversed in the recent years. As for their acting, both actually get 5s from me. And I must agree on Levi and Benson. I think Benson is now second for his group. Still not a fan of his singing. As for my fives, they are Caselotti, Woods (who I believe gives the best voice work), Beaumont (Alice), Benson (Both), O'Hara, Moore, Levi, Menzel, and Bell. I could never give them an order, but Ilene Woods would take first.

What was everyones favourite scene from Joe Pesci in Sense and Sensibility lol was it the scene where he rapes Kate Winslet, or the scene where he punches Hugh Grant, or maybe the scene where he pulls his tommy gun out and rinses Emma Thompson =D =D.

Ruthie:I'm not going to rank either the men or the women, but I will say the following:Menzel's singing is incredible and is the main reason I enjoyed her voice performance.That being said, Kristen Bell is my favorite lead vocal performance of all time. Tom Hulce and Robbie Benson are the only 2 that come even close. Tony Jay is the only vocal performance overall that's in the same league (and I refuse to choose between them because that's too difficult).Also, Tom Hulce should be #1 for singing, Robbie Benson for speaking. To argue with the second part is sacrilege ;) (but really, Robert will agree with me on that).

Michael: Very True. Groff is not given a real song in the movie, but even so, he does not make me cringe like Gibson (who would be higher if the song If I Never Knew You was still in the final cut), conflict me like Robby Benson, or leave me cold like Kane (who is ony kept from the bottom due to Lea Salonga). Groff might be better than Douglas, but I have a better connection to the latter's voice than I have with the former's.

Michael: Maybe I am being a little too harsh on Menzel. Hearing the song everywhere got on my nerves. I think I will bump her up to 9th with Moore. But the rest of the women are pretty much in stone. I have always loved the singing style of the past, which explains the top 3 (And Stockwell's first place). It's so hard to rank my childhood (I'm 19 now). Still have not seen The Princess and the Frog, so that might completely change the field.

Speaking of Tony Jay (who is one of several 5's), I don't think I could ever do a speaking ranking for the villains, with so many of them and a good number of them being very good (I'm not even going to touch the supporting characters). But as for their singing, I could do a ranking later, but I will have to listen to them again.

Luke:I was just searching for Louis's rating on DDL in Nine (If you can find it, I'd be grateful) and ran across a question you had asked me way back on the 2009 Lead results about my thoughts on Un Prophete and The White Ribbon.

I haven't seen Un Prophete, but it is on my list.

I found The White Ribbon to be excellent, though I was bothered somewhat by its terribly slow pacing (the same can be said for Ida, though I still recommend both wholeheartedly). I though Proxauf stood out, but I did see it quite some time ago, so my views on the performances could change on rewatch. A rewatch would also be necessary for me to flesh out my thoughts.

Anonymous: I love Scofield and I do see the similarities between the two. There work as Cromwell and More respectively are some of the most understated performances I've ever seen from either TV or Film.

Anonymous: What I actually meant was, I wished that he was going to be in the new series, as it would've been more captivating from a viewer's standpoint. He wasn't contacted for any major role, whatsoever, which is a damn shame. :(

Neeson - 4(In Neeson wheelhouse of the stoic hero but it must be said he does it well. Here there also comes an additional emotional weight in the way he internalizes Roy's pain basically right up until that final duel where he shows Roy release all of his anger at all of his mistreatment)

Hanks - 4(Hanks in prime leading man form. He anchors the film quite admirably)

Eastwood - 4(Not a surprise from me I suppose that I preferred Eastwood here to Streep actually. I think Eastwood really does well in the role as he undercuts the sentiments and possibly trappings of a sappy romance by just presenting this man as an actual lived in man whose found love in a way that seems to surprise himself. He never comes off as creep even as he tries to pressure her to go with him. Eastwood artfully keeps the film from falling too much into melodrama which it easily could have considering the material)

Pesci - 4(I've never been able to get behind the film which always felt like a ripoff of Goodfellas, but just happened to be made by the same director. This unfortunately comes in with Nicky who shares just a few too many tendencies with Tommy, while never being as a compelling of a character. Pesci of course still does very well as this sort of mobster, and does at least find a few places to try to make Nicky a different beast from Tommy)

Willis - 4(Although he phoned it in a bit with 2 Willis makes up for it here by again being the charming comic action hero he should be while still injecting the character with vulnerabilities that gives the action some actual weight to them. Plus he has some great chemistry with Jackson.)

Jackson - 3.5(Jackson is a hoot in the sidekick role, and it is particularly fun to see him play kind of a wimpy type character for once.)

Downey Jr. - 3.5(I wish Downey would return to a period piece since he is surprisingly good at fitting in. He carries a modern feel but never seems out of place. Downey is good here as the vapid playboy, to the man trying to find a purpose, to almost a saint. The transitions are off, though not due to Downey, but Downey matches each phase well)

Douglas - 3.5(Although I have plenty of problems with the film, Douglas is not one of them as he manages to be a charming romantic lead while bringing enough command to be a convincing president at the same time)

Byrne - 3.5(He's really just a red herring now isn't he? Byrne though is good at playing a smooth criminal type, and he good her in playing the character with just the right sort of mystery that perhaps he's someone else or maybe he's exactly who he says he is)

Washington - 3.5(Washington does some rock solid leading work, whenever he has a role like this he does tend to deliver)

Hanks - Toy Story - 3.5(Hanks actually is pivotal to Woody since he manages to make him likable despite really being the villain of the film.)

Allen - 3.5(Allen always kinda cartoony sounding delivery works especially well for the boisterous spaceman that is Buzz, but he also is quite effective in the way he switches to a more measured approach when Buzz realizes he's a toy)

De Niro - Casino - 3.5(De Niro is just fine in the role, but he does not bring that cutting edge that he brought to Goodfellas. This time he feels a bit overshadowed by Pesci as well, although that might be in part due to his unassuming character, though De Niro very well could have done more in this low key sort of role)

Hoffman - 3(Fairly straight forward role for Hoffman but he brings enough passion that's needed for the part particularly in the final scene where he has to convince the men not to destroy the town)

Farley - 3(Although I don't care for Spade as a straight man Farley certainly puts it into his all into the being the funny man. I don't think it all works, but enough of it does)

Dreyfuss - (I reviewed him Calvin old boy)

Grant - 3(Standard Grant though a good enough rendition of it)

I should try to re-watch Heat.

Cage really should have always been a five as even in my review my praise isn't that of merely a good performance. Penn just slowly lost impact for me. Still like him though.

Anonymous:

Top Ten:

1. Braveheart (Just to get Robert to break some more furniture)2. Seven3. Babe4. 12 Monkeys5. Before Sunrise6. Dolores Claiborne7. Apollo 138. Smoke9. Dead Man Walking10. Die Hard With a Vengeance

Crimson Tide - (It's a decent enough thriller. There isn't anything extraordinary about it but it moves along well with some great actors doing some solid work)

The American President - (The film does have a certain charm in parts to it, though it's Aaron Sorkin with politics which I find usually tiresome due to his overabundant use of straw men as well as a strange naivety that is ill fitting in something that wants to sound so smart.)

Restoration - (There are three good stories in there, and they are bolstered by some great costumes and sets. My only problem is that it never really transitions through the phases well at all. It just suddenly becomes about something else, and each is an awkward switch. Still I liked the acts despite this)

Farmer - 3(Fine Goofy rendition and one does need to give him a bit of credit in being able to actually give the character more in depth emotions while maintaining his usual way of speaking.)

Marsden - 2.5(He's fine though nothing too memorable)

Williams - 2.5(Standard Williams doing family movie type of work from him)

Costner - 2(Pretty bland, but he's been blander)

Stallone - 1.5(Actually really quite an awkward performance from him in the way he tries to give Dredd kinda of a dark streak that fails miserably. When he hams it up, especially when his ham-brother is around, it does end up being rather entertaining, though that probably was not the intention)

Robert:

Covered Thewlis in supporting results 2004. Although just add on top of that I think Thewlis deserves credit for trying to make that first scene with Oldman work, which I have to admit was probably poorly thought out by Cuaron. Thewlis seems to try to hint at what's coming while the film tries to hard to makes Sirius's intentions seem like a twist.

Michael Patison:

Parlo - 3(Offers a nice warm presence, though with the right needed reservation, to offer a late comfort in the film while still conveying the effects of the war)